FACULTY OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF DELHI

TERM PAPER: LEGAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS

Submitted To: Dr. Vikesh Tripathi

Submitted By: Shalini Yadav

Roll No.: 210628222-025

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 ABSTRACT

Media has played a significant role in establishing democracy throughout the world. Since the
18th century, the media has been instrumental in reaching the masses and equipping them with
knowledge, especially during the American Independence movement and French Revolution.
Media is considered as “Fourth Pillar” in democratic countries along with Legislature, Executive,
and Judiciary, as without a free media democratic system cannot cease to exist. Media
organizations are generally assumed to play an important role in democracies, but how effective
are they in performing this function is a matter of study. The power of Media can be used to
reinforce democracy. It can be used as an instrument to bridge between governors and the
governed. Mass media is a perfect communication tool in society. Media and democracy have a
very complex and variable relationship. Media includes Television, social networking site,
newspapers etc. In a democratic society, media plays an important role where they enjoy a lot of
powers with fewer regulations. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru termed media as the “watchdog of our
democracy”. Media has significant tasks to carry out as in anticipating the issues of the
individuals to the society, and securing the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. If
Media would have not existed, then Government would rule as per their wish without being
accountable to public for whatever they do. It may lead to failure of transparency and enhance a
corrupted system.

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

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INTRODUCTION

Media assume a noteworthy job in giving majority elective system and individuals’ privilege a
firm balance guaranteeing straightforwardness and responsibility in all circles of public
undertakings. Media is bringing out the truth and revealing political hypocrisies in limelight
which is helping the common people to decide which party could do them batter if they come in
power. The state is associated with the individuals through the media where they attempt to
impact the individuals. Media democracy system works with an objective to give straightforward
fair framework by setting out standards to change the broad communications to give media and
resident news coverage. The explanation for media vote-based system separating itself from
private possession is the majority rule government beliefs present in it. It impacts certain
thoughts of women’s liberation; communism and so forth.
Media majority rule government expands its relationship towards the open circle. It advocates
things like dynamic investment of the residents and expanding resident news coverage. The
methodology in the media popular government is that all the individuals from the general public
must be very much educated to take an interest in certain significant issues and open
conversation. The idea of democratic based media must be embraced which works on the
guideline of transparency and comprehensiveness.

In India however media has developed and emerged as a very powerful and influential tool in all
matters. Importance and power of Media can never be denied in democracies; media policies,
media content etc. and media persons have a direct or indirect influence on the audience. Mass
Media and Democracy are always related to each other. Media is a mirror of the society and how
democratic a society is, can be represented through media. Opinion leaders influence the public
opinion regarding political leaders and political system of any country. Hence, media has an
influential role in strengthening democracy. Media and democracy have strong association.
Countries which are strong democracies always have resilient and free media. In the role of
‘watchdog’ the media can promote government transparency, accountability, and public scrutiny
of decision-makers in power, and by highlighting policy failures, maladministration by public
officials, corruption in the judiciary, and scandals in the corporate sector, Media acts as a mirror.
The media acts as a strong agency to formulate and organized public opinion. The relevance and

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importance has been adequately dealt in this research. The role of the media as public forum is
vital, media functions as an agenda-setter, providing information about urgent social problems
the free press can strengthen the public sphere, by mediating between citizens and the state,
facilitating debate about the major issues of the day, and informing the public about their leaders.
A good democracy is thus first and foremost a broadly legitimated regime that completely
satisfies its citizens (quality in terms of result). Hence to strengthen Democracy, India require to
safeguard its citizen first. Media is a tool for social change also. Through promoting programs
like the beti bachao, beti padhao, building and maintenance of clean toilets, swach Bharat, saving
of water and saving of fuel etc., that the media is quite successful in promoting the social values
and protecting the environment to some extent. The media is also responsible to grant aid,
assistance and help to the needy people in the situations like any other catastrophe. The media
provides the help lines in the cases of adverse contingency. If the channels of communication
reflect the social and cultural pluralism within each society, in a fair and impartial balance, then
multiple interests and voices are heard in public deliberation. This role is particularly important
during election campaigns, as fair access to the airwaves by opposition parties, candidates and
groups is critical for competitive, free and fair multiparty elections.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

This study is designed to know whether or not, there is an influence of media in Indian
democratic system and how far people have faith in media channel.

SCOPE OF STUDY

LITERATURE REVIEW
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
HYPOTHESIS
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
SAMPLING

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TOOL
TECHNIQUES
DATA COLLECTION
FINDING AND RECOMMENDATIONS
CONCLUSION - The ground realities are that a citizen is largely dependent on the press for the
quality, proportion, and the extent of news. He can seldom obtain for himself the information
necessary for the intelligent discharge of his political duties and responsibilities. In disseminating
news, the press therefore acts as a representative or, more appropriately, as the custodian of the
public. It serves public interest in pluralistic democracy by permitting expression and opinions of
all persons. Hence freedom of the press has a dimension and range that is vastly different from
the ambit and content of other individual freedoms. Press freedom embodies the principle of
accountability and thus enables press to be an instrument of democratic control. Protection and
promotion of free press is substance sub serves and strengthens democracy, an essential feature
of the Constitution. Freedom of press is undoubtedly one of the basic freedoms in a democratic
society based on the Rule of law. None the less freedom of press is not an end in itself. The
public function which belongs to the press makes it an obligation of honour to exercise this
function with the fullest sense of responsibility. Joseph Pulitzer pointed out that ‘commercialism
has a legitimate place in a newspaper’. Acc. to him, ‘without high ethical ideals a newspaper is
not only stripped of its splendid possibilities for public service, but may become a public danger
to the community’. Press freedom will depend not only on the state of the laws or the provisions
of the Constitution but on the integrity and independence of the press. ‘Over the years,
Governments of the different parts of the world have used diverse methods to keep press under
control. They have used carrot and stick methods
REFERENCES

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